Impact absorption apparatus for vehicle occupant

Abstract

To efficiently perform impact absorption for a vehicle occupant when a vehicle collides.SOLUTION: An impact absorption apparatus for vehicle occupant comprises: a panel-like knee restraint member which restrains knees of a vehicle occupant when a vehicle collides; a drive part which moves the knee restraint member backwards from a rear surface side of a panel member when the vehicle collides; an impact absorption part which is located above the knee restraint member in a front space of the panel member in the vehicle, and absorbs an impact applied to the vehicle occupant who moves forward in association with collision of the vehicle; and a forward movement regulation part which regulates forward movement of the knee restraint member when a forward force acts on the knee restraint member after start of backward movement of the knee restraint member by the drive part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an impact absorbing device for a vehicle occupant that is mounted on an automobile. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known an impact absorbing device that uses a panel-shaped knee restraint member (i.e., a knee panel of a knee bolster) that is mounted on a vehicle and restrains the knees of a vehicle occupant during a vehicle collision (for example, Patent Document 1). The knee restraint member described in Patent Document 1 is disposed on the surface of an instrument panel (hereinafter referred to as "instrument panel"), which is an interior panel member of the vehicle, and more specifically, is provided in a glove box below the instrument panel. The glove box is capable of moving in an arc and is capable of sliding along an arc trajectory relative to the instrument panel.

[0003] The impact absorbing device described in Patent Document 1 above is equipped with a position adjustment mechanism that fixes the glove box at any position relative to the instrument panel in the direction of movement. This position adjustment mechanism has a positioning part that is provided on one of the instrument panel or the glove box and has multiple teeth aligned in the direction of movement, and a fixing part that is provided on the other of the instrument panel or the glove box and has claws. The claws of the fixing part engage with the teeth of the positioning part to fix the glove box at any position relative to the instrument panel.

[0004] In the impact absorbing device, the glove box is first positioned relative to the instrument panel to restrain the knees of the vehicle occupant. When a vehicle collision occurs in this restrained state, a force acts on the glove box through the knees of the vehicle occupant, pushing the glove box forward relative to the instrument panel, causing the teeth of the positioning portion to break the pawls one by one, thereby absorbing the impact on the vehicle occupant. Therefore, with the impact absorbing device, the glove box can be fixed at any position relative to the instrument panel that restrains the knees of the vehicle occupant, thereby absorbing the impact on the vehicle occupant in the event of a vehicle collision. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-124324 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, since the glove compartment is disposed below the instrument panel as described above, if the glove compartment has the above-described impact absorbing structure, there is a risk that the impact absorption for the vehicle occupant will be insufficient. That is, if the glove compartment has an impact absorbing structure, the knees of the vehicle occupant will move forward when the impact is absorbed by the impact absorbing structure in the event of a vehicle collision, and the head and chest of the vehicle occupant will move backward, which may result in the vehicle occupant not being able to fully protect themselves.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has an object to provide an impact absorbing device for a vehicle occupant that can efficiently absorb the impact on the vehicle occupant in the event of a vehicle collision. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] One aspect of the present invention is an impact absorbing device for a vehicle occupant, comprising: a panel-shaped knee restraint member that restrains the knees of a vehicle occupant in the event of a vehicle collision; a drive unit that moves the knee restraint member rearward from the rear side of an interior panel member in the event of a vehicle collision; an impact absorbing unit that is positioned above the knee restraint member in the space forward of the interior panel member and absorbs the impact applied to the vehicle occupant who moves forward in the event of a vehicle collision; and a forward movement restricting unit that restricts the knee restraint member from moving forward when a forward force is applied to the knee restraint member after the drive unit has started to move the knee restraint member rearward.

[0009] This configuration makes it possible to efficiently absorb the impact on vehicle occupants in the event of a vehicle collision. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1]1 is a perspective view of a front passenger compartment of a vehicle equipped with a vehicle occupant impact absorbing device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 3 is a side cross-sectional view showing a state (solid line) of the impact absorbing device for a vehicle occupant in the present embodiment before a vehicle collision and a state (two-dot chain line) after the vehicle collision. FIG. [Figure 3] 1 is an exploded perspective view of a glove box in which an impact absorbing device for a vehicle occupant according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided. [Figure 4] 4 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a glove box is moved relative to an interior panel member in the present embodiment. FIG. [Figure 5] 1 is a perspective view showing the structure of a connecting portion between an inner portion and an outer portion of a glove compartment to which the vehicle occupant impact absorbing device of the present embodiment is attached; [Figure 6] 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a state of fracture caused by a vehicle collision at a connecting portion between an inner portion and an outer portion of a glove box to which the impact absorbing device for a vehicle occupant of the present embodiment is attached. [Figure 8] 2 is a side cross-sectional view showing a knee restraint member and a drive unit of the impact absorbing device for a vehicle occupant in the present embodiment. FIG. [Figure 9] 3 is a side cross-sectional view showing a knee restraining member, a drive unit, and a forward movement restricting unit of the impact absorbing device for a vehicle occupant in the present embodiment. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Specific embodiments and modifications of the impact absorbing device for a vehicle occupant according to the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 9. In the present embodiment and modifications, the terms "front," "rear," "left," "right," "upper," and "lower" are used relative to the traveling direction of the vehicle 1.

[0012] 1 and 2, the vehicle occupant impact absorbing device 20 of this embodiment is a device that is mounted on a vehicle 1 and absorbs impact on the vehicle occupant P while restraining the vehicle occupant P in the event of a collision (specifically, a frontal collision) of the vehicle 1, thereby protecting the vehicle occupant P. Note that hereinafter, the vehicle occupant impact absorbing device 20 will be simply referred to as the impact absorbing device 20.

[0013] The vehicle occupant P to be protected is preferably seated in the passenger seat in a normal posture and restrained by a seat belt, and further preferably has the soles of his / her feet placed on the floor of the vehicle compartment. The vehicle 1 on which the impact absorbing device 20 is installed is, for example, an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, a plug-in hybrid vehicle, or a fuel cell vehicle.

[0014] The impact absorbing device 20 is disposed on an instrument panel (hereinafter referred to as instrument panel) 3 located below the windshield glass 2. The instrument panel 3 is an interior panel member provided at the front of the passenger compartment of the vehicle 1. The instrument panel 3 extends in the left-right direction of the vehicle. The instrument panel 3 is formed so that its rear end protrudes rearward near the center in the vertical direction. A lower instrument panel 3a is provided at the bottom of the instrument panel 3 in front of the passenger seat.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1, the instrument panel lower section 3a of the instrument panel 3 has an inclined section 3b and a window section 3c. The inclined section 3b is a section at the rear end of the instrument panel lower section 3a that is inclined so that the lower section is positioned more forward. The window section 3c is an opening that penetrates the instrument panel lower section 3a in the front-rear direction. The window section 3c is provided in the inclined section 3b. The window section 3c is formed, for example, in a rectangular shape that is elongated in the left-right direction of the vehicle.

[0016] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the vehicle 1 has a glove compartment 10. The glove compartment 10 is a storage box located in front of the passenger seat. The glove compartment 10 is formed to fit into the window portion 3c. The glove compartment 10 can be opened and closed relative to the instrument panel 3. Particularly in the closed state, the glove compartment 10 is arranged so that a portion thereof is exposed to the interior of the vehicle through the window portion 3c on the surface of the instrument panel lower 3a, and the other portion thereof is accommodated in the front space at the rear of the instrument panel lower 3a. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the glove compartment 10 has an inner portion 11 and an outer portion 12.

[0017] The inner part 11 is a part that forms a storage section, which is a space for storing items such as a vehicle inspection certificate holder, a tissue case, CDs, etc. The inner part 11 is formed in a case shape. The storage section formed by the inner part 11 is formed in a cubic or rectangular parallelepiped shape, for example. The inner part 11 has an opening at the top for putting in and taking out stored items.

[0018] The outer part 12 is a part that opens and closes the window part 3c of the instrument panel lower 3a. The outer part 12 is disposed behind the inner part 11. The outer part 12 is formed in a panel shape. The outer part 12 is formed so that the surface facing the interior of the vehicle cabin (i.e., the rear surface) is flush with the rear surface of the instrument panel lower 3a when the window part 3c is closed. The outer part 12 is positioned so as to face, in the front-rear direction, the knees of a vehicle occupant P seated in a normal posture in the passenger seat.

[0019] The outer part 12 is composed of multiple parts, each formed into a panel shape. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the outer part 12 is composed of a front outer part 12a, an intermediate outer part 12b, and a rear outer part 12c. The front outer part 12a forms the rear surface of the outer part 12 and is exposed inside the vehicle cabin. The rear outer part 12c forms the front surface of the outer part 12 and is exposed in the space in front of the instrument panel 3. The intermediate outer part 12b is interposed between the front outer part 12a and the rear outer part 12c. The outer part 12 is assembled by assembling the front outer part 12a, the intermediate outer part 12b, and the rear outer part 12c to each other using clip fitting, bolt fastening, or the like.

[0020] The inner part 11 and the outer part 12 are integrally connected at a connecting part 13. The connecting part 13 engages the inner part 11 and the outer part 12 by, for example, a snap-fit ​​joint. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the connecting part 13 has a claw part 13a provided on the inner part 11 and a hook part 13b provided on the outer part 12. The connecting part 13 engages the inner part 11 and the outer part 12 by hooking the claw part 13a onto the hook part 13b.

[0021] The claw portion 13a is formed at the tip of the cantilever beam 14 that extends rearward from the rear end of the inner portion 11. The claw portion 13a is formed in a tapered shape. Specifically, the length of the claw portion 13a in a direction perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction from the cantilever beam 14 (for example, the up-and-down direction) gradually increases from the tip side (i.e., the rear side) of the cantilever beam 14 to the base side (i.e., the front side) of the cantilever beam 14. The cantilever beam 14 can bend in a direction perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction (for example, the up-and-down direction). The direction in which the tapered claw portion 13a extends from the cantilever beam 14 and the direction in which the cantilever beam 14 bends coincide with each other.

[0022] The hook portion 13b is a portion on which the claw portion 13a is hooked. The hook portion 13b is formed on the periphery of an insertion hole 15 provided in the outer part 12. The insertion hole 15 is provided to penetrate the rear outer part 12c of the outer part 12. The insertion hole 15 is formed to a size that allows the cantilever beam 14 to enter from the front to the rear of the rear outer part 12c, and more specifically, is formed to a size that allows the claw portion 13a to enter when the cantilever beam 14 is in a state where it is bent more than normal. After the claw portion 13a reaches the rear of the insertion hole 15, the cantilever beam 14 is released from its bending, and the claw portion 13a is hooked on the hook portion 13b.

[0023] After engaging the inner part 11 and the outer part 12, when a force equal to or greater than a predetermined value acts between the inner part 11 and the outer part 12 to pull them apart in the front-to-rear direction, the connecting part 13 can break the base of the cantilever beam 14 at an assumed breaking point R (see FIGS. 6 and 7) without releasing the engagement between the claw part 13a and the hook part 13b. If the base of the cantilever beam 14 breaks when a force equal to or greater than the predetermined value acts between the inner part 11 and the outer part 12, the engagement between the inner part 11 and the outer part 12 is released, and the outer part 12 becomes movable rearward relative to the inner part 11.

[0024] As shown in Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9, the outer portion 12 (specifically, the front outer part 12a) has a panel main body portion 16 and an upper wall portion 17. The panel main body portion 16 has a rear surface facing rearward and is a wall portion that comes into contact with the knees of a vehicle occupant P during a vehicle collision. The rear surface of the panel main body portion 16 widens along the inclined portion 3b of the instrument panel lower 3a and is inclined so that the lower portion is positioned more forward. As shown in Figures 2, 8, and 9, the lower portion of the panel main body portion 16 has a lower wall portion 18 that extends forward from the lower end of the inclined rear surface. The lower wall portion 18 is formed so that the outer surface facing the interior of the vehicle cabin faces downward and the inner surface facing the interior of the instrument panel 3 faces upward.

[0025] The upper wall portion 17 is a wall portion extending forward from the upper end portion of the panel main body portion 16. The upper wall portion 17 is formed integrally with the panel main body portion 16, for example, by bending the upper portion of the panel main body portion 16. The upper wall portion 17 has an eave shape so as to cover the upper ends of the middle outer part 12b and the back outer part 12c, which are parts in front of the front outer part 12a in the outer part 12.

[0026] 4, the glove compartment 10 is movable between a closed position where the window 3c is closed and an open position where the window 3c is opened to expose the storage compartment of the inner part 11. When the glove compartment 10 moves from the closed position to the open position, the outer part 12 moves and projects rearward from the rear surface of the instrument panel lower 3a toward the interior of the vehicle cabin. To improve the storability of the inner part 11 in the storage compartment, it is preferable that when the glove compartment 10 is in the open position, the storage compartment of the inner part 11 is located inward from the rear surface of the instrument panel lower 3a.

[0027] The glove compartment 10 can be opened and closed between a closed position and an open position relative to the instrument panel 3 by a movement mechanism 30. The movement mechanism 30 is a slide mechanism that moves the inner part 11 and the outer part 12 of the glove compartment 10 together in the front-to-rear direction relative to the instrument panel 3. The movement mechanism 30 is configured using, for example, a roller-type slide rail.

[0028] Specifically, the movement mechanism 30 has a first slide rail 31 and a second slide roller 32. The first slide rail 31 and the second slide roller 32 are engaged with each other and are members that perform the opening and closing operation of the glove compartment 10 relative to the instrument panel 3 by relative movement. The first slide rail 31 is provided on the instrument panel 3 side.

[0029] An instrument panel internal structure 40 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) is disposed in the space in front of the instrument panel 3. As shown in FIG. 3, the instrument panel internal structure 40 is a structure having a ceiling wall portion 41 and two side wall portions 42 extending vertically downward from both left and right ends of the ceiling wall portion 41. The instrument panel internal structure 40 is attached and fixed to the instrument panel 3 or a frame structure of the vehicle body.

[0030] The first slide rail 31 is attached to the instrument panel inner structure 40. The first slide rail 31 extends in the front-rear direction. The first slide rail 31 has, for example, an arc shape. A pair of first slide rails 31 are provided, one on each of the two side wall portions 42 of the instrument panel inner structure 40.

[0031] The second slide rollers 32 are provided in the glove box 10. Specifically, the second slide rollers 32 are attached to the inner part 11. The second slide rollers 32 are arranged on both the left and right sides of the inner part 11 in accordance with the first slide rails 31. A plurality of second slide rollers 32 are provided for each first slide rail 31, spaced apart in the front-to-rear direction.

[0032] The moving mechanism 30 opens the glove box 10 relative to the instrument panel 3, for example, by the biasing force of a spring or the opening driving force of a motor, and closes the glove box 10 relative to the instrument panel 3 by a pressing force that pushes the glove box 10 forward against the biasing force of the spring when the glove box 10 is in the open position, or by the closing driving force of a motor.

[0033] As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 8, and 9, the impact absorbing device 20 includes a knee restraining member 50, a drive unit 60, an impact absorbing unit 70, and a forward movement restricting unit 80.

[0034] The knee restraint member 50 is a member that restrains the knees of a vehicle occupant P in the event of a vehicle collision. The knee restraint member 50 is provided integrally with the outer part 12 of the glove compartment 10, and is a member that makes the rear surface of the front outer part 12a a receiving surface that can be contacted by the knees of the vehicle occupant P. The panel main body 16 described above is a component of the knee restraint member 50. The outer part 12, i.e., the knee restraint member 50, comes into contact with the knees of the vehicle occupant P in the event of a vehicle collision and is able to receive the forward inertial force acting on the lower legs with the soles of the vehicle occupant P's feet in contact with the vehicle compartment floor as fulcrums.

[0035] The drive unit 60 is a mechanism that, in the event of a vehicle collision, moves the outer part 12 of the glove compartment 10 rearward relative to the inner part 11, thereby moving the knee restraint member 50 rearward from the rear side of the instrument panel lower 3a. As shown in Figures 3, 4, 8, and 9, the drive unit 60 has an airbag 61, a guide rail 62, a guide arm 63, and an inflator 64.

[0036] The airbag 61 is a bag-shaped member that protects the vehicle occupant P by inflating and deploying due to gas generated by an inflator 64 in the event of a vehicle collision. The airbag 61 is disposed in front of the knee restraint member 50, and more specifically, is disposed between the rear surface of the inner part 11 and the front surface of the outer part 12 of the glove compartment 10. Before inflation and deployment, the airbag 61 is in a folded state between the inner part 11 and the outer part 12. The inflator 64 is attached to the rear surface of the inner part 11. When the inflator 64 is ignited to generate gas, the gas fills the airbag 61, and the airbag 61 first inflates and deploys rearward.

[0037] 8 and 9, the knee restraint member 50 has an inclined surface 51. The inclined surface 51 is a surface that guides the airbag 61 in a desired deployment direction when the airbag 61 is inflated and deployed. The inclined surface 51 is the front surface of the outer part 12 (specifically, the panel main body part 16) that comes into contact with the airbag 61 when it is inflated and deployed, and is inclined obliquely rearward from the bottom to the top. The inclined surface 51 has the function of efficiently or effectively transmitting the pressure caused by the inflation and deployment of the airbag 61 to the knee restraint member 50, moving the knee restraint member 50 approximately horizontally toward the knees of the vehicle occupant P and deploying the airbag 61 toward the space in front of the upper body of the vehicle occupant P.

[0038] The lower wall 18 at the bottom of the panel main body 16 is formed so that its inner surface faces upward. The lower wall 18 is positioned so as to close the lower end of the space formed between the rear surface of the instrument panel lower 3a and the front surface of the outer part 12 after the outer part 12 starts to move rearward from the rear side of the instrument panel lower 3a due to inflation and deployment of the airbag 61. The lower wall 18 has the function of preventing the airbag 61 from inflating and deploying downward from the space between the rear surface of the instrument panel lower 3a and the front surface of the outer part 12 during inflation and deployment.

[0039] In the process of inflating and deploying, the airbag 61 first presses the outer part 12, i.e., the knee restraint member 50, rearward, releasing the connection between the inner part 11 and the outer part 12 by the connecting part 13 and moving the knee restraint member 50 rearward. In this case, the outer part 12, i.e., the knee restraint member 50, moves rearward, separated from the inner part 11. When the knee restraint member 50 moves rearward due to the inflation and deployment of the airbag 61, a gap is formed between the rear surface of the instrument panel lower 3a and the inclined surface 51 of the knee restraint member 50, allowing the airbag 61 to project into the vehicle compartment.

[0040] After the airbag 61 moves the knee restraint member 50 rearward as described above by inflation and deployment, it inflates and deploys so as to protrude into the vehicle compartment from the space between the rear surface of the instrument panel lower 3a and the inclined surface 51 through an upper gap. In this case, as shown in Fig. 2, the airbag 61 inflates and deploys in the space in front of the vehicle occupant P (specifically, the space between the rear surface of the instrument panel lower 3a and the vehicle occupant P) so as to face mainly the upper body of the vehicle occupant P, and protects the vehicle occupant P by elastically deforming upon receiving an impact applied to the vehicle occupant P and absorbing the impact.

[0041] The guide rail 62 and guide arm 63 engage with each other and are components that guide and guide the knee restraint member 50 as it moves rearward. The guide rail 62 is provided on the inner part 11. The guide rail 62 extends in the front-to-rear direction. A pair of guide rails 62 is provided, with one on each of the left and right end surfaces of the inner part 11. The guide arm 63 is provided on the outer part 12. The guide arm 63 extends forward in an arm-like shape from the front surface of the outer part 12. A pair of guide arms 63 are provided to match the guide rail 62.

[0042] The impact absorbing section 70 is a section that absorbs the impact applied to the vehicle occupant P who moves forward in the event of a vehicle collision. The impact absorbing section 70 is disposed in the space in front of the instrument panel 3, specifically, above the knee restraint member 50 (specifically, the upper end thereof) in the space in front of the instrument panel 3. The impact absorbing section 70 is disposed so as not to interfere with the glove compartment 10, which opens and closes between a closed position and an open position. After a vehicle collision, when a force is applied forward to the knee restraint member 50 due to input from the knees of the vehicle occupant P, the impact absorbing section 70 dissipates the force to the upper part or the vertical center of the instrument panel 3 via the guide arm 63, deforming the upper part or the vertical center of the instrument panel 3. This configuration efficiently absorbs the impact on the vehicle occupant, thereby reducing the amount of deformation of the instrument panel 3.

[0043] The impact absorbing section 70 is provided in the instrument panel internal structure 40 in the space in front of the instrument panel 3. The impact absorbing section 70 is installed in the ceiling wall section 41 of the instrument panel internal structure 40. As shown in FIG. 3, for example, the impact absorbing section 70 is configured of a bellows-shaped member that buckles and deforms when a force is applied forward. Note that instead of a bellows-shaped structure that buckles and deforms, the impact absorbing section 70 may be made of a material such as polystyrene foam, sponge material, rubber, or gel, or may be made of a lattice structure such as a honeycomb structure or a lattice structure, as long as it is capable of absorbing impact.

[0044] The forward movement restricting portion 80 is a ratchet member that restricts the forward movement of the knee restraining member 50 when a forward force is applied to the knee restraining member 50 after the rearward movement of the knee restraining member 50 has started due to the drive portion 60. In other words, once the knee restraining member 50 has started to move rearward from its initial position on the rear side of the instrument panel lower 3a, the forward movement restricting portion 80 holds the knee restraining member 50 in position without moving it forward, even if a forward force is applied during that movement (specifically, an impact force received from the knees of the vehicle occupant P).

[0045] It should be noted that "not allowing the knee restraint member 50 to move forward" and "maintaining the position of the knee restraint member 50" do not exclude the forward movement of the knee restraint member 50 from the time when a forward force is applied to the knee restraint member 50 after the knee restraint member 50 starts to move backward until the engaging protrusion 81 described below fits into the engaging recess 82, but are concepts that include this forward movement.

[0046] 3 and 9, the forward movement restricting portion 80 has an engaging protrusion 81 and an engaging recess 82. The engaging protrusion 81 and the engaging recess 82 are members that can engage with each other. The engaging protrusion 81 and the engaging recess 82 are formed so as not to impede the rearward movement of the outer part 12, and therefore the knee restraining member 50, when they move rearward relative to the inner part 11, but so as to impede the forward movement of the outer part 12 when they move forward relative to the inner part 11.

[0047] The engaging protrusion 81 is a member that swings around an axis extending in the left-right direction. The engaging protrusion 81 is attached to the inner part 11 so that it can swing. The engaging protrusion 81 is arranged so that it does not fit into the engaging recess 82 in the upper swing position, but fits into the engaging recess 82 in the lower swing position. One engaging protrusion 81 is arranged on each of the left and right end surfaces of the inner part 11. The engaging recess 82 is a member that extends in a saw-like shape in the front-to-rear direction. The engaging recess 82 is formed in the outer part 12. The engaging recess 82 is arranged on the upper surfaces of the left and right guide arms 63 of the outer part 12. The engaging recess 82 opens upward.

[0048] The engagement recesses 82 are formed so that the recessed portions into which the engagement protrusions 81 fit and the sawtooth portions are alternately adjacent in the front-to-rear direction. The sawtooth shape of the engagement recesses 82 is formed so that the outer part 12 (and therefore the knee restraining member 50) can move smoothly rearward relative to the inner part 11, while restricting the forward movement of the outer part 12 relative to the inner part 11 after the start of rearward movement. In other words, the sawtooth shape is formed so that the angle of the rearward-facing tooth surface of each sawtooth with respect to the horizontal plane (for example, 20°) is smaller than the angle of the forward-facing tooth surface of each sawtooth with respect to the horizontal plane (for example, 80°).

[0049] The engaging protrusion 81 is attached to the inner part 11, and the engaging recess 82 is formed in the outer part 12. Therefore, when the inner part 11 and the outer part 12 move together in the front-to-rear direction, specifically during the normal closing operation in which the glove compartment 10 is moved from the open position to the closed position by the movement mechanism 30, the forward movement restricting part 80 does not restrict the knee restraining member 50 from moving forward relative to the instrument panel 3.

[0050] The operation of the impact absorbing device 20 will now be described. In the impact absorbing device 20, before a vehicle collision, the glove compartment 10 is in a state in which the inner part 11 and the outer part 12 are integrally connected at the connecting part 13. In this state, the outer part 12 is located on the rear side of the instrument panel lower 3a, and the knee restraint member 50 is located in its front initial position. In this state, if a vehicle collision is detected while the vehicle 1 is traveling, the inflator 64 of the drive unit 60 is activated, causing the airbag 61 to inflate and deploy.

[0051] When the airbag 61 inflates and deploys, the knee restraint member 50 is pressed rearward from its initial position by the airbag 61. In this case, the outer part 12 is separated from the inner part 11 due to the breakage of the cantilever beam 14, and the knee restraint member 50 moves rearward relative to the inner part 11 and the instrument panel 3. The knee restraint member 50 then comes into contact with the knees of the vehicle occupant P and restrains the knees of the vehicle occupant P. Note that even if a forward force is applied to the knee restraint member 50 due to the knees of the vehicle occupant P coming into contact with the knee restraint member 50 after the knee restraint member 50 has started to move rearward, the forward movement restricting part 80 restricts the knee restraint member 50 from moving forward.

[0052] After the knee restraint member 50 is moved rearward as described above, the airbag 61 protrudes from the space between the rear surface of the instrument panel lower 3a and the inclined surface 51 into the vehicle compartment through the upper gap, and inflates and deploys into the space between the vehicle occupant P and the instrument panel 3. In this case, even if the upper body of the vehicle occupant P is pushed forward in the vehicle compartment by the inertial force associated with the vehicle collision, the airbag 61 receives the impact on the vehicle occupant P and elastically deforms to protect the vehicle occupant P.

[0053] Furthermore, when the forward movement of knee restraint member 50 is restricted by forward movement restricting section 80 as described above, the force applied forward to knee restraint member 50 is transmitted via guide arm 63 to the upper part or the vicinity of the vertical center of instrument panel 3, and becomes a force that deforms the upper part or the vicinity of the vertical center of instrument panel 3. Impact absorbing section 70 receives this force that deforms the upper part or the vicinity of the vertical center of instrument panel 3 and absorbs the impact caused by that force.

[0054] In this way, with the impact absorbing device 20, during a vehicle collision, the knee restraint member 50 can be moved rearward from the instrument panel 3 side to restrain the knees of the vehicle occupant P while restricting forward movement of the knee restraint member 50. Therefore, the knees of the vehicle occupant P do not move forward during a vehicle collision, and rearward movement of the head and chest that would accompany the forward movement of the knees of the vehicle occupant P can be suppressed. Therefore, during a vehicle collision, the vehicle occupant P can be effectively moved forward with the knees of the vehicle occupant P as a fulcrum, allowing the seat belt and airbag 61 to effectively function and efficiently absorb the impact on the vehicle occupant. Furthermore, the force applied forward from the knees of the vehicle occupant P to the knee restraint member 50 can be efficiently transmitted to the impact absorbing section 70, thereby absorbing the impact caused by that force, and thereby allowing the impact absorbing section 70 to effectively function.

[0055] Furthermore, the knee restraint member 50 is provided integrally with the outer part 12 of the glove compartment 10, and moves in the front-to-rear direction integrally with the glove compartment 10 during normal movement of the glove compartment 10 between the closed position and the open position. In other words, the forward movement restricting part 80 does not restrict the knee restraint member 50 from moving forward during normal movement of the glove compartment 10 from the open position to the closed position. Therefore, during normal movement of the glove compartment 10 from the open position to the closed position, the knee restraint member 50 provided integrally with the outer part 12 is allowed to move forward relative to the instrument panel 3, and normal movement of the glove compartment 10 can be ensured.

[0056] Therefore, the impact absorbing device 20 can efficiently absorb the impact of a vehicle occupant in the event of a vehicle collision without impairing normal use of the glove compartment 10 between the closed position and the open position.

[0057] Furthermore, when the glove compartment 10 moves normally between the closed position and the open position, the sawtooth of the engaging recess 82 with which the engaging protrusion 81 of the forward movement restricting portion 80 engages is prevented from shifting sequentially in the front-to-rear direction. This makes it possible to prevent abnormal noise from being generated in the forward movement restricting portion 80 during normal movement of the glove compartment 10.

[0058] The knee restraint member 50 also has an inclined surface 51 that slopes obliquely rearward from bottom to top on the front surface of the outer part 12 that comes into contact with the airbag 61 when it is inflated and deployed. This inclined surface 51 moves the knee restraint member 50 rearward when the airbag 61 is inflated and deployed, guiding the airbag 61 in a desired deployment direction. Therefore, with this configuration, the pressure caused by the inflation and deployment of the airbag 61 is efficiently or effectively transmitted to the knee restraint member 50, causing the knee restraint member 50 to move substantially horizontally toward the knees of the vehicle occupant P, while the airbag 61 can be deployed and moved toward the space in front of the upper body of the vehicle occupant P.

[0059] Furthermore, the lower portion of the panel main body 16 of the outer part 12 has a lower wall 18 extending forward from the lower end of the inclined rear surface. The inner surface of the lower wall 18 faces upward. With this configuration, after the outer part 12 starts to move rearward from the rear side of the instrument panel lower part 3a due to inflation and deployment of the airbag 61, at least a portion of the lower end of the space formed between the rear surface of the instrument panel lower part 3a and the front surface of the outer part 12 is blocked by the lower wall 18. This prevents the airbag 61 from inflating and deploying downward from the space between the rear surface of the instrument panel lower part 3a and the front surface of the outer part 12 during inflation and deployment. Therefore, the airbag 61 is guided upward from the space between the rear surface of the instrument panel lower part 3a and the front surface of the outer part 12 during inflation and deployment, facilitating inflation and deployment into the space in front of the vehicle occupant P, thereby improving the protection performance of the vehicle occupant P.

[0060] In the above embodiment, the airbag 61 has both the function of moving the knee restraint member 50 rearward relative to the inner part 11 and the function of inflating and deploying between the instrument panel 3 and the upper body of the vehicle occupant to protect the upper body. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the airbag 61 may have only the function of moving the knee restraint member 50 rearward relative to the inner part 11. In this modified embodiment, an occupant protection airbag for protecting the upper body of the vehicle occupant may be disposed in front of the knee restraint member 50, in addition to the airbag 61. In this case, the occupant protection airbag may begin to inflate and deploy after the airbag 61 begins to inflate and deploy and the knee restraint member 50 begins to move rearward.

[0061] In the above embodiment, an airbag 61 is used as the drive unit 60 that moves the knee restraint member 50 rearward relative to the inner part 11 as a unit with the outer part 12. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the drive unit 60 may be an actuator (such as a spring, motor, or cylinder) that is arranged in front of or parallel to the knee restraint member 50, and the actuator may move the knee restraint member 50 rearward from the rear side of the instrument panel 3.

[0062] Also, at the same time as or after the actuator starts moving the knee restraint member 50, an occupant protection airbag that protects the upper body of the vehicle occupant located in front of the knee restraint member 50 may be deployed. Furthermore, the drive unit 60 may use both the airbag 61 and the above-mentioned actuator, and start driving them simultaneously or with a time lag.

[0063] Furthermore, the control mode of the drive unit 60 may be to predict a vehicle collision in combination with a sensor or a pre-crash system, and drive the knee restraint member 50 to start moving at or before the predicted time of the vehicle collision. Then, an airbag to protect the upper body may be deployed at the same time as or after the knee restraint member 50 starts moving.

[0064] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention, including implementing the invention by appropriately extracting and combining elements described in the embodiments. Furthermore, the specification of the present invention discloses not only the citation relationships of each claim as originally filed, but also the technical idea of ​​appropriately combining the matters described in each claim. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 1: vehicle, 3: instrument panel (instrument panel), 3a: instrument panel lower, 3b: inclined portion, 3c: window portion, 10: glove box, 11: inner portion, 12: outer portion, 13: connecting portion, 13a: claw portion, 13b: hook portion, 14: cantilever beam, 15: insertion hole, 16: panel main body portion, 17: upper wall portion, 18: lower wall portion, 20: vehicle occupant impact absorbing device (impact absorbing device), 30: movement mechanism, 31: first slide rail, 32: second slide roller, 40: instrument panel internal structure, 50: knee restraint member, 51: inclined surface, 60: drive unit, 61: airbag, 62: guide rail, 63: guide arm, 64: inflator, 70: impact absorbing portion, 80: forward movement restricting portion, 81: engaging protrusion, 82: engaging recess, P: vehicle occupant.

Claims

1. a panel-shaped knee restraining member that restrains the knees of a vehicle occupant in the event of a vehicle collision; a drive unit that moves the knee restraint member rearward from the rear surface side of the interior panel member during a vehicle collision; an impact absorbing portion that is disposed above the knee restraint member in a space in front of the interior panel member and that absorbs an impact applied to the vehicle occupant who moves forward in the event of a vehicle collision; a forward movement restriction unit that restricts the knee restraint member from moving forward when a forward force is applied to the knee restraint member after the drive unit has started to move the knee restraint member backward; An impact absorbing device for a vehicle occupant, comprising:

2. the knee restraint member is provided integrally with the outer part of a glove box having an inner part forming a storage section and an outer part disposed rearward of the inner part and configured to open and close a window provided in the interior panel member, The glove box is movable between a closed position in which the window is closed and an open position in which the window is opened to expose the storage section, 2. The impact absorbing device for a vehicle occupant according to claim 1, wherein the forward movement restricting portion does not restrict the knee restraining member from moving forward when the glove compartment moves from the open position to the closed position.

3. 3. The impact absorbing device for a vehicle occupant according to claim 1, wherein the drive unit has an airbag disposed in front of the knee restraint member and inflates and deploys to move the knee restraint member rearward in the event of a vehicle collision.

4. 4. The impact absorbing device for a vehicle occupant according to claim 3, wherein the knee restraining member has a front surface that contacts the airbag when inflated and deployed, the front surface being inclined obliquely rearward from the bottom to the top.

5. an occupant protection airbag disposed in front of the knee restraint member and inflating and deploying in the event of a vehicle collision to protect the upper body of a vehicle occupant; 2. The vehicle occupant impact absorbing device according to claim 1, wherein the occupant-protecting airbag is inflated and deployed simultaneously with or after the knee restraint member starts to move rearward by the drive unit.

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